anderson



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet If A. L. ANDERSON.

DRAW BAR FOR RAILWAY CARS.

' No. 251,496. Patented Dec. 27,1881.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet; 2.

A. L. ANDERSON.

DRAW BAR FOR RAILWAY CARS. No. 251,496. Patented Dec. 27,1881.

i /AN Elm f 'UNITED STATES DRAW-BAFR FOR I PATENT OFFICE.

QALLEN L. ANnERsoN, on CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF T JAMES H. FOOTE,

OF SAME PLACE.

RAILWAY-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 251,496, dated December 27, 1881,.

Application filed June 7,1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALLEN L. ANDERSON,

Q a citizen of the United States, residing at Oincinnati, Hamilton county, Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railway-Oar Draw-Bars, of which the following is a speci- My invention relates to draft apparatus for railway-cars,- its object being to improve their 'co nstruction and eliiciency, both in respect to thedraft of the cars, the

mode of coupling,

in the accompanying drawings,. in

ing that'portion of the draw-bar of whichthe draw-head constitutes a part. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of two adj acentdraw-heads of this form coupled together, and also, indicated by dotted lines,

- plan view of a modified form of draw-bar, show the spring-jaws constituting part of the draw- 'heads proper.

the devices for uncoupling. Fig. 4 is aside elevation of two draw-heads coupled, with one of the spring-plates removed in order to show the uncoupling devices. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectionalelevationofthesamedraw-headscoupled.

Fig. 6 is a plan diagram, showing the articulated draw-bar in position upon two adjacent cars upon a curve of the track. Fig. 7 is a ing the buffing-springs wholly in front of the pivot-connection. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a modified form of draw-head, showing two coupled together. Fig. 9 is a cross-section of the same. Fig. 10 is a plan view of a drawbar, showing a preferred arrangement of the springs used to retain the bar in its normal position. Fig. 11 is a plan view of two crossheads coupled, showing a preferred form of Similar letters of reference in the specifica- 'tion and drawings indicate similar parts.

In the drawings illustrating my invention, A designates the wheel-truck of a railway-car, and B the draw-bar. The draw-bar and its head are preferably formed of a single piece of metal forged or cast in proper form, and of sufficient length to extend under the car and form connection at or near the king-bolt or pivot of the truck, as hereinafter more fully described. The draw-bar terminates atits outer end in a hook-head, b, projecting laterally on one side, the metal being cutaway at the opposite side of the head, leaving a recess orofiset in the draw-bar extending back a sutficient distance to accommodate the adjacent head when the parts are together, and on the side where said recess isformed a spring-plate or bar, 19, is firmly secured by bolts 0: as near the inner end to the draw-bar, forming part of the same, so as to lie fiat against the side of the draw-bar and extend over and form an outer wall to the recess or offset. The plate 19 extends out even with the end of the draw-head, thetwo forming the members of a jaw, the ends of both being beveled outward to facilitate the entrance of the adjacent draw-head, and the opening between the jaws being the recess or offset before referred to. The plate p is perforated at the side to form a rectangular slot (shown at s) for the reception of the hook-head b of the connecting draw-head. The adjacent draw-head being similarly constructed, as indicated by corresponding letters, and the two being brought together, the hookhead of each, which is for this purpose formed with a wedge-shaped or pointed end, enters the opening month between the jaws of the other, the heads proper lying back toback, while the wedge portion of each springs the plate of the other away from its bar until the slots are reached, when the heads enter the slots, thus allowing the spring-plates to resume 8 5 their normal positions, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, over the hook-heads b I), thus uniting the two draw-bars firmly together.

Themeans for releasing the draw-heads are as follows: The side plate, 12, is made wider 0 than the bar 13 at the point where its slot is located, and thence to the end, and therefore projects above and below the edge of the bar, as shown in Fig. 5. I attach to the draw-bar B, at a point in the rear of its drawhead 1), upon the under side, a short cain- I plate or lever, 0, pivoted at d. This camplate lies flat against the under side of the draw-bar, and extends diagonally across the offset or recess to and is in contact at its I00 end with the spring-plate p, which, as before stated, extends below the surface edge of the bar at that point. To a stud, 6, upon the camplate 0, near the latters end, is attached a chain, f, which is carried to a lever or winding-shaft arranged, with suitable means for manipulation, conveniently upon the car-platform. By moving the lever orshaft and cansing the chain to pull upon the cam-plate the latter is caused to revolve upon its pivot d, and tends to assume a position in line with the draft-chain, in which movement it forces the springp outward; and, when the two drawheads are together, forces both spring plates apart, so as to allow the heads to draw away from each other. It will be seen from the construction as shown in Fig. 3 that this efl'ectwill be produced by the cam-plate attached to either draw-head, and they can be detached therefore from either one of two cars in juxtaposition at will.

The manner of uniting the draw-bar to the car is as follows: The draw-bar at its inner end is formed into a rectangular yoke, G, in which two coiled springs, H H, are arranged between the end walls, g, of the yoke, and a central washer-block, h, adapted to be placed upon the king-bolt of the truck or upon asuitable stud upon the bottom of the car and arranged to slide upon and between the sides of the yoke. From the block 7t barst' t'project in opposite directions in the line of the draw-bar, passing through suitable perforations in the end walls, 9, of the yoke. The springs are arranged upon the bars i, abutting against the central block, 71 and the end walls, 9, of the yoke. 1n the huffing action ofthe draw-heads the springs take up the shocks in both directions, the draw-bar sliding upon the bars i, as permitted by the springs H, and upon the washer-block it.

As a means of retaining the draw-heads normally in position, I attach to the car-bolsters, at opposite sides, two bar-springs, L L. acting upon the draw-bar and holding it to its central position, but permitting a free lateral motion. A preferable arrangement of the springs on some accounts is to attach them to the drawbar, so that their outer ends project laterally and rearward and rest against abutments ll, attached to the car-bolsters. In the latter case the spring-jaw 19, forming one member of the draw-bar, may be extended rearward and bent to form one of the retaining-springs. These springs are not required to be of great strength, their function being merely to retain the drawbar in a central position when out of use for the time being.

I have described as the draw-bar that portion only which extends from the pivotal connection to and including the draw-head proper, as is customary 5 butnny invention also contemplates a draft-rod which shall be substantially continuous throughout a train, and, as exhibited in Fig. 6, be so articulated as to permit the cars to change their alignment on curves, but retain the points of attachment always in the center line of the track. The points of attachment are therefore the pintles or pivotal connections of the trucks with the car-body.

The draw-bars proper, B B, are connected at their rear ends, as already described, to a washer block or collar which encircles the pintle of the truck, and when the draw-heads constructed as hereinbefore described are in connection between adjacent cars they form a substantially continuous and rigid member of the draft-rod connecting the cars between the pintles of adjacent trucks. I then connect the two pintles upon the same car bya flat bar, a,

having eyes at each end encircling the two truck-pintles for the purpose of transmitting the draft-strain directly and relieving all strain upon the framing-timbers of the car-body. The relation of the articulating-points of the draftrod is shown in Fig.6,in which the center line of the track is indicated by a dotted line.

The relative arrangement of the bufiingsprings may be varied in many ways. In Fig. 7 the springs are shown arranged both at one side of the washer-block h. The yoke is divided by a transverse brace, g, leaving sufficient space between it and the end wall, 9, for the relative play of the washer-block. The'latter is provided with a bar, '5, extending forward through the brace g and into a recess in the draw-bar in its axial line, in which it relatively reciprocates as the springs permit the draw-bar to move. Midway in the longer division of the yoke a solid head,j, is secured upon the bar i, upon each side of which and around the bar t" the springs H H are located, abutting against the head j and the forward wall of the yoke and the brace g, respectively. This arrangement permits the springs to be carried wholly forward ofthepintle-connection.

A still further modification in the construction with reference to the buffingsprings is to dispense with the fixed brace g and head j and pass the bar 6 through two heads arranged to slide in the yoke, and on the bar and between the sliding heads to place asingle spring. The slidingheads are prevented from moving apart in the yoke by abutments provided upon the sides of the yoke, and keys through the bar t" prevent the movement of the heads apart upon the bar i, so that their movement is only toward each other alternately. In the latter arrangement the butting and draft shocks are taken up by asingle spring in both directions. The modification shownin Fig. 8 substitutes for the slotted spring bar or platep a narrow plate arranged to pass into a slot or recess formed in the side of the hook-head, while the narrow plate terminates in a head, 12, which engages behind the abutments of the head 1). Figs. 8 and 9 clearly show this construction.

The modification shown in Fig. 11 consists in bending the spring-plate inward to form a jog, which engages behind the abutment formed by the hook-head, as will be clearly ICC a preferred form of construction.

The advantages which result from my invention are important, some of which I will here particularize. It will be apparent that the connection of the draw-bar to the car is not only much simpler, but is much stronger by reason of the form of the bar than where the whole draft-strain, as in the ordinary construction, falls upon a key inserted through a slotted bar. The pulling out of a draw-bar, therefore,is effectually prevented and the well-known dangerfrom this cause obviated. Again,it will be observed that the friction-plates and bolts, by which the springs are secured, and the draftstrains transmitted to the car-bolsters in the ordinary construction, are entirely dispensed with, and the side strains upon the bar and springs effectually prevented, since the bar and springs are preserved always exactly in the line of draft. The connecting-points between two adjacent cars being so far apart, no inequalityin the elevations of car-bodies above the tracklikely to exist will cause a perceptible vertical angularity of the line of draft; but in mounting the draw-bars sufficieht vertical play is allowed to accommodate the unequal elevations.

Having described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In combination with the frame of a railway-car and its truck-pintles, an intermediate two yielding draw-bars pivotally connected with said pintles, and each provided with a spring or springs acting against the longitudinal draft and buffing strains upon said drawbars, substantially as set forth.

2. A coupling or draw-head for railway-cars constructed as herein described, having a laterally-projecting hook-head, a recess or offset in the bar at the rear of said hook-head, and a spring-plate projecting longitudinally over said offset, provided with aslot, offset, or head for engagement with the corresponding hookhead of the opposite draw-bar, said springplate forming with the hook-head jaws with the recess between them, in which the opposite draw-head enters, so that the two hookheads engage outwardly with the springplates, the draw-bars proper lying back to back and forming a practically rigid connection, substantially as set forth.

3. A draw-bar for railway-cars, bifurcated at its rear end to form a yoke, in which the pintle-block and bufling spring or springs are held, and which permits the draw-bar to move longitudinally in relation to the fixed pintleconnection and springs, substantially as set forth.

4. In combination with a draw-head, one member of which is a spring-plate adapted to be sprung outward in uncoupling, the camlever 0, pivoted to the draw-bar and adapted by its rotation upon its pivot to force the spring-plate outward to clear the hook-head of the adjacent draw-bar, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the draw-bar B, formed with a reduced outer end or head and with a hook, I), at such end, of the springplate secured to the draw-bar, and extending over the recess formed by the reduction of the head of the bar, said sprin g-plate being formed with a'slot to receive the hooked end of an opposing draw-bar, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the drawbar B, reduced at its outer end and provided with a hook, I), of the slotted spring-plate secured to the draw'bar and extended to the outer end of the same, the pivoted cam-lever c and the chain connected withthe said cam-1ever,substantially as described.

7. The combination, with the draw-bar B, provided at its inner end with a rectangular yoke, the springs arranged between the end walls of the yoke and the washer-block placed upon the king-bolt of the truck, and the longitudinally-arranged bars extending from the washer-block through the springs and the end portions of the yoke, substantially as described.

8. The combination" of the draw-bar with the yoke G at its rear end, the springs arranged within the yoke, the rods z", extending from the pivoted washer-block through the end portions of the yoke, and the springs L, bearing at their forward ends against the dra w-bar and at their rear ends secured to the truck-frame, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALLEN L. ANDERSON. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

O. P. DOOLITTLE ARTHUR S. HOBBY. 

